Star Wars: The Force Awakens (SPOILERS)

[Jesse James]

They cut Ewan McGregor (who recorded new stuff) with a clip of Alec Guinness to get the OWK stuff in the flashback/vision sequence.  I read that in some article on Yahoo recently...  Pretty nutty.

[I Am Sith]

The one big concern I have with this theory is that the new trilogy seems so prepared to divorce itself from the EU in order to open up the story possibilities.  Will all of those CLONE WARS shows be considered canon, and something that could impact the movies?  As annoying as the whole "What's canon?  What's not canon?" issue has become, I think this is one area where it bears some examination.

I thought that when they announced what was considered canon that they said The Clone Wars cartoon were considered as part of the new canon now.  As well as Rebels.

[P-Siddy]

Ezra is Rey's dad?  Ick.

[Matt_Fury]

Or maybe Kanan.  Although if that were the case, I think Rey would be slightly green and have Lekku.

[Nicklab]

Check out THIS SLASH FILM POSTING.  The writer at Slash Film was able to see the screenplay for THE FORCE AWAKENS that was filed with the Writers Guild of America.  And it answers some questions regarding things seen in Rey's Force vision, the aftermath of that scene between Kylo Ren and Han Solo, Rey's state of mind at the end of her duel with Kylo Ren, and a sense of recognition between Luke Skywalker and Rey when she arrives on the planet where he has been in seclusion.  That planet is called Ahch-To.

Some of the article is speculative.  Notably, regarding who left Rey on Jakku in the custody of Unkar Plutt.  The article puts forth the theory that Han Solo may have given Unkar Plutt the Millennium Falcon in exchange for watching over Rey.  That stands in contrast with the story points about the chain of custody of the Falcon having been stolen from Solo by Ducain, and the ship then going to the Irving boys before eventually ending up with Unkar Plutt.

[EdSolo]

I'm hearing a lot of the "masked for no reason", and all I wonder is...  Then why are so many other people masked?

It wasn't like Vader was the only guy wearing a mask in Star Wars. 

Perhaps Ren's mask helps him tactically like a Stormtrooper helmet?  Why not, ya know?

To me it's like complaining about people wearing capes in Star Wars...  There are quite a few who do, despite the utter impracticality of it.  Why not a mask then?  It could be just for the (at least I felt this way) implied intimidation purposes.  Dicking with people, keeping them from knowing what's underneath.  Who knows.

My wife came up with a theory that could tie in to his confidence.  Kylo Ren seems to be more powerful when he has the mask on.  He freezes a blaster bolt and Poe in the beginning.  When he captures Rey, he can read her mind that she has seen the map, but can't do it when he takes the mask off when she is in the torture rack.  Without the mask, he gets shot by Chewie, wounded by Finn, and beaten by Rey.

[Nicklab]

I'm hearing a lot of the "masked for no reason", and all I wonder is...  Then why are so many other people masked?

It wasn't like Vader was the only guy wearing a mask in Star Wars. 

Perhaps Ren's mask helps him tactically like a Stormtrooper helmet?  Why not, ya know?

To me it's like complaining about people wearing capes in Star Wars...  There are quite a few who do, despite the utter impracticality of it.  Why not a mask then?  It could be just for the (at least I felt this way) implied intimidation purposes.  Dicking with people, keeping them from knowing what's underneath.  Who knows.

My wife came up with a theory that could tie in to his confidence.  Kylo Ren seems to be more powerful when he has the mask on.  He freezes a blaster bolt and Poe in the beginning.  When he captures Rey, he can read her mind that she has seen the map, but can't do it when he takes the mask off when she is in the torture rack.  Without the mask, he gets shot by Chewie, wounded by Finn, and beaten by Rey.

I didn't get that at all.  The mask projects an image to those around him, but I don't think it's tied to his power.

Regarding Kylo Ren at the end of the film?  Snoke told Kylo Ren that in order to complete his training he had to destroy Han Solo.  And that doing so might strenthen him even more with the dark side of The Force.  But in reality, it seems to have had the opposite effect, and Kylo Ren's power was diminished.  He even seemed to recognize it right at that moment, too, that this murder was a completely empty act on his part.

[Diddly]

Box Office: The Force Awakens overtakes Avatar to Become No. 1 Film of All Time in North America

[Jesse James]

Honestly I never got the appeal of Avatar.  It was horrible.  I was so glad I never paid to see it in a theater.  I almost did, and bought into the hype at the time.  When I finally did see it, good lord.

[77Skywalker]

I remember when I only first saw the film when we saw just something or someone from the original trilogy (i.e. Han Solo, Chewbacca), there was much applause in the theater.  I also enjoyed the lightsaber duel between Rey and Kylo Ren.

[Nicklab]

I was finally able to catch a second screening of THE FORCE AWAKENS today at a matinee showing.  It was good to have some time to process a lot of what I had seen on opening day and go into this showing being able to watch for some very specific things.  First?  The emotional aspect of the film still rang through very well.  The new cast is really good.  And I think Harrison Ford really delivered.

There's been a bunch of discussion about Carrie Fisher's performance since the movie came out.  Having seen the movie again, it seems that her role was very deliberately focused where it needed to be.  I still got the sense that Leia and Han retreated personally following Ben Solo turning to the Dark Side, and they both came across as damaged people.

The Force vision that Rey has is clearly one of the high points of the movie.  Seeing that hallway from Cloud City still gets me.  And Kylo Ren killing what I presume to be a Jedi, and standing amid the bodies with the other Knights of Ren?  I was paying keen attention this time!  I heard the Obi-Wan voices, but I didn't catch the Yoda voice.

Another thing?  It seems very clear that Kylo Ren, possibly Snoke, Han Solo, Leia and Luke all realize who Rey really is.  I think that there's a strong likelihood that Rey was one of the students at the fallen Jedi Temple from her Force vision.  And it seems that she may have been one of the only survivors.

Last?  I took a good long look when Rey got to Ahch-To and presented the Skywalker lightsaber to Luke.  I was able to see his robotic hand, and his clothes.  And it looks like he's got a white & tan version of the outfit that he wore when he arrived at Jabba's palace in RETURN OF THE JEDI.

[77Skywalker]

I was finally able to catch a second screening of THE FORCE AWAKENS today at a matinee showing.  It was good to have some time to process a lot of what I had seen on opening day and go into this showing being able to watch for some very specific things.  First?  The emotional aspect of the film still rang through very well.  The new cast is really good.  And I think Harrison Ford really delivered.

There's been a bunch of discussion about Carrie Fisher's performance since the movie came out.  Having seen the movie again, it seems that her role was very deliberately focused where it needed to be.  I still got the sense that Leia and Han retreated personally following Ben Solo turning to the Dark Side, and they both came across as damaged people.

The Force vision that Rey has is clearly one of the high points of the movie.  Seeing that hallway from Cloud City still gets me.  And Kylo Ren killing what I presume to be a Jedi, and standing amid the bodies with the other Knights of Ren?  I was paying keen attention this time!  I heard the Obi-Wan voices, but I didn't catch the Yoda voice.

Another thing?  It seems very clear that Kylo Ren, possibly Snoke, Han Solo, Leia and Luke all realize who Rey really is.  I think that there's a strong likelihood that Rey was one of the students at the fallen Jedi Temple from her Force vision.  And it seems that she may have been one of the only survivors.

Last?  I took a good long look when Rey got to Ahch-To and presented the Skywalker lightsaber to Luke.  I was able to see his robotic hand, and his clothes.  And it looks like he's got a white & tan version of the outfit that he wore when he arrived at Jabba's palace in RETURN OF THE JEDI.

That's what it looked like to me.  Maybe in the next one we'll see Luke's lightsaber from Return of the Jedi.

[Sybeck1]

Guess I'm part of the small minority who really thinks this movie was a swing and a miss. Rehashed plot. Coincidences on top of coincidences. Maybe 8 will be a better more thought out original movie

[77Skywalker]

I hope we see more of Luke in Episode 8

[Phrubruh]